Top 10 Running Backs of All Time
The Best NFL Running Backs Ever
2- Walter Payton- In 13 seasons Walter Payton did wonderful things for the Chicago Bears. He could run, block, catch and throw. He was probably best known for keeping his legs moving and breaking loose when he appeared to be tackled. They called him Sweetness and we lost him way too soon when he died. He had 3,838 rushes for 16,726 yards, 110 tds and a 4.4 average per carry. He added 492 receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 TDs. All this while playing on some really bad Bears teams most of his career.
3- Emmitt Smith- For 15 years he played for Dallas and Arizona he was the best goal line back ever in my opinion. I only ranked him 3rd because he had better offensive lines most of his career than Payton and Brown. In 226 games he rushed for 18.355 yards on 4,409 carries, 164 tds and a 4.2 average. He added 515 catches for 3,224 yards and 11 tds. I also think he was the best pass blocking tailback of all time.
4- Barry Sanders- In only 10 seasons he became the most dangerous big play threat in NFL history. He ran 3,062 times for 15,269 yards.99 tds and a 5.0 average. He added 352 catches for 2,921 yards and 10 tds.
5- Earl Campbell- Ive never seen such a big man run so fast. He was used up by Bum Phillips with the Oilers and Saints or he would have had a longer more productive career. In 9 seasons he had 2,187 attempts for 9,407 yards, 74 tds and a 4.3 average. He added 121 catches for 806 yards with no tds.
6- Tony Dorsett- Had the longest run in NFL History with a 99 yarder for Dallas against the Vikings with only 10 men on the field for the "Boys" He was pure speed and the only player I ever saw run down Darrell Green of the Redskins from behind. In 12 seasons in Dallas and Denver he rushed 2,936 times for 12,739 yards, 77 tds and a 4.3 average. He added 398 catches for 3,554 yards and 13 tds.
7- OJ Simpson- Now known for some bad things but he was a great RB, and the first to break the 2,000 yard mark for a season. In 11 seasons with the Bills and 49ers he ran 2,404 times for 11,236 yards, 61 tds and a very good 4.7 averages. Added 203 catches for 2,142 yards and 14 tds.
8- Eric Dickerson- Maybe best known for wearing every kind of protective device or pad known to man. Part of SMU's famed Pony Express Backfield with Craig James in college he took the NFL by storm. In 12 seasons with the Rams, Colts, Raiders and Falcons he ran 2,996 times for 13,259 yards and 90 tds for a 4.4 average. Added 281 catches for 2,137 yards and 6 tds.
9- John Riggins- In 14 seasons with the Jets and Redskins The "Diesel" was know for breaking tackles and scoring tds. He ran 2,916 times for 11,352 yards, 104 tds and a 3.9 average he added 250 receptions for 2,090 yards and 12 tds
10- Marcus Allen- Like Water Payton he could run, catch and throw. In 16 seasons with the Raiders and Chiefs, he ran 3,022 times for 12,243 yards, 123 tds and a 4.1 average. He added 587 receptions for 5,411 yards and 21 tds.
Published by Randy Inman
Im 42 years old, Grew up in North Carolina, and descend from the same family as the person the Inman Character was based on in the movie/book Cold Mountain. I run Footballdogz.com and love Pro Football. Spor... View profile
- Top 10 NFL Linebackers of All Time Arguably the toughest men sports, these linebackers struck fear in the hearts of their opponents.
-
The Best College Football Running Backs of All Time
Lists the top 5 college running backs ever. Sure to start an argument!
- Top 10 Pittsburgh Steelers of All Time With the Steelers heavy favorites to win Super Bowl XLIII I look back at the top 10 greatest players in Pittsburgh Steelers history.
- Top 10 Buffalo Bills Running Backs of All Time Check this out to view the top 10 Buffalo Bills running backs of all time. Who gets the number one spot? Two NFL Hall of Famers make the list, including O.J. Simpson.
- Top 10 Arizona Cardinals Running Backs of All Time Check this out to see the top 10 Arizona Cardinals running backs of all time.
- Five Best Running Backs in NFL History
- The Greatest NFL Running Backs of All Time: Top Ten List
- Atlanta Falcons Top 10 Running Backs of All Time
- Top 10 Running Backs of All Time
- The Top NFL Running Backs of All Time
- Top 10 NFL Cornerbacks of All Time
- Top 10 Running Backs of NFL Past
|
|
- Barry Sanders was the most dangerous big play threat of all time
- Tony Dorsett had a 99 yard run
- Walter Payton could run.block, pass and catch
146 Comments
Post a CommentJim Brown is over rated and so are most of that time.The reason back in those days a running could fall down and get back up .The runner was not down until tackled to the ground and kept down .
Least I am not a beast.
Ever heard of Gayle Sayers? Not in the top ten? Hell, you should post the top ten in yardage so you don't look stupid!
my vote for what it's worth, goes to Emmit. I DON'T understand the reasoning, so he had a great o line.So he had a great team. I belive there have been many other great o lines and teams and I believe they all had running backs but none of them did what Emmit did. ( I WON'T EVEN MENTION THE RINGS) 15YRS,THAT RIGHT THERE SAYS A WHOLE HELL OF ALOT! 16 GAME SEASONS aginst athelets much superior to Mr. Jim BROWN'S ERA.50 MORE TDS THAN JB OR SWEETNESS (THATS JUST ON THE GROUND) LOVE JB AND SWEETNESS BUT EMMIT SMITH IS THE GREATEST RB OF ALL TIME.
I think Sanders would have done better in Dallas, than Smith would have done in Detroit.
barry did not play on a horrible team. he played behind two perennial pro-bowl offensive lineman (Glover and Brown) and was complemented by one of the best receivers of the 90's (herman moore). barry kind of got shut down in playoffs when he faced teams good enough to take away the big play. he couldn't grind it out like emmitt.
Thanks coach.
If your 12 years old please don't post any stupid comments up here. good list I would drop the diesel and put faulk up there. marshall was truely a complete back and i think he is top five but he needs to be top 10 atleast on everyones list. he could run, catch make 9 ppl miss in the open field. he did that look it up on youtube. he was the ultimate weapon on sunday. all the jim brown haters out there stop. have u ever been to a middle school football game and seen one kid who started growning before everyone else. thats jim brown he was a man among boys. If u wanna say the players he played against are not as big as they are today who cares. brandon jacobs is 6-4 250 pounds and he does not dominate like brown did. Jim brown also played with no passing game and with less rules. people would clothes line u back then. he played 9 years never missed a game. watch some nfl films on the man he truely was the greatest running back of all time. barry was good but to many tackles for a loss be
If your 12 years old please don't post any stupid comments up here. good list I would drop the diesel and put faulk up there. marshall was truely a complete back and i think he is top five but he needs to be top 10 atleast on everyones list. he could run, catch make 9 ppl miss in the open field. he did that look it up on youtube. he was the ultimate weapon on sunday. all the jim brown haters out there stop. have u ever been to a middle school football game and seen one kid who started growning before everyone else. thats jim brown he was a man among boys. If u wanna say the players he played against are not as big as they are today who cares. brandon jacobs is 6-4 250 pounds and he does not dominate like brown did. Jim brown also played with no passing game and with less rules. people would clothes line u back then. he played 9 years never missed a game. watch some nfl films on the man he truely was the greatest running back of all time. barry was good but to many tackles for a loss be
Nice list. I've always said the argument came down to Brown and Payton. That has been the theme for the best player in the league, too. To the guys who said that Barry Sanders had no line or help: I guess they never heard of Lomas Brown(a former HOF finalist) or Kevin Glover(who Sanders credits in his own book). His o-lines were better than people think. He just wanted to avoid contact so much that he hurt them at times, but saved them, too.